


Chicken Soup

by IveGotRedHair



Series: Weak Immune System Alex AU [5]
Category: All Time Low
Genre: Coughing, Established Relationship, Fever, M/M, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-14
Updated: 2015-06-14
Packaged: 2018-04-04 09:05:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4131880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IveGotRedHair/pseuds/IveGotRedHair
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex gets sick visiting Jack's family and fails to hide it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chicken Soup

“It’s only my parents, you’ll be fine.”   
“If you say so...”  
Jack took his hand off the wheel and held Alex’s. They were on their way to Jack’s parents for a couple of days and Alex was nervous, he’d never spend a whole weekend with Mr and Mrs Barakat and despite Jack’s constant reassurance he was scared they wouldn’t like him. He was dating their son after all.  
“I do and when am I wrong?”   
Alex just laughed as Jack was wrong more than anyone Alex knew, he could hardly name the planets of the solar system but for some reason it made him feel better. Alex eventually fell asleep in the passenger seat of the car; Jack couldn’t help smiling at him. He knew Alex was nervous about being with his parents but there was no way they wouldn’t love him, Alex was amazing and he wanted everyone to see that.   
When they pulled up outside Jack’s childhood home Alex was still sleeping, snoring softly against the window.   
“Alex, wake up hun. We’re here,” Jack said, nudging Alex’s leg.   
“We are?” Alex asked, opening one eye.   
“Yep, come on my mum makes the best spaghetti and I’m starving.”  
Alex followed Jack out of the car, ignoring the slight aching of his muscles. It had been a fair amount of time since he’d been in Jack’s parent’s house. They’d spent a lot of time there in the early days of their relationship, from the time Jack escaped out of the window to visit Alex despite being grounded or the time Alex turned up at Jack’s door in a storm, freezing, upset and ill.   
Jack sensed Alex’s hesitance and held his hand as they approached the door. Before Jack could even press the bell the door opened and Joyce Barakat was smiling at them.   
“Hello Jack and Alex too, it’s good to see you.”  
She hugged them both in turn, kissing their cheeks and making Jack blush embarrassed.   
“Mum, I thought I was the only one allowed to kiss Alex,” Jack said.  
“I think that’s up to Alex,” she replied.   
Alex just gave Jack a weak punch in the arm as they walked into the house.   
“How are you boys?” she asked, taking them through to the kitchen where she began making coffee.   
“We’re good, how’s everything here?” Jack asked, sitting down at the counter.   
Alex didn’t say anything, his nose was starting to feel a little stuffed and there was an irritating itch that could only mean one thing. He sneezed once into his arm, sniffling slightly as he wiped his nose on his sleeve.   
“Okay Alex?” Joyce asked.   
“He’s always sneezing,” Jack interjected. “I swear he always has a feather up his nose.”   
Alex laughed, it was true and he was glad it led to no further questions. Joyce finished making the drinks as Jack pulled Alex onto his lap. They sat having a drink; Alex sat on Jack’s lap as his mum filled them in the latest happenings in the Barakat household. Alex didn’t know who half the people were she was talking about but he smiled and laughed along, he tried to ignore the feeling of tiredness that was creeping over him again. He’d slept in the car, he didn’t need to sleep again, he wasn’t five.   
“I’m sorry, I’ve been so busy chatting I didn’t give you boys a chance to unpack. Why don’t you go sort yourselves out why I sort out dinner?”   
“Okay mum.”   
Jack kissed her cheek and took Alex’s hand to lead him upstairs to Jack’s former bedroom. It was the same as he remembered blue walls that were all but covered with posters and photos of the boys when they were in high school. A big king sized bed took up most of the space along the wall, the covers made unlike when Jack used to live there. Alex had never seen the room so tidy, none of Jack’s clothes scattered over the floor or homework littered over the desk.   
“Ah our first make out spot,” Jack said, dumping his bag on the bed.   
“I thought it was under the tree on the playing felid?” Alex questioned.   
“What you mean that time we were skipping class and it rained, so we went hide under the tree?”   
“And we started making out as the rain soaked us through the leafs.”   
“That might be the best but I’m sure this was first,” Jack said, sitting down on the bed.   
Alex smiled and leant down to kiss Jack, only to have the other boy’s arms wrap around him and pull him down to his level. They ended up lying on the bed, their belongings pushed onto the floor as they relived their teenage make out session.   
“Boys dinner!”   
Mrs Barakat’s voice called them from the kitchen.   
“Dammit, your mums such a cock block,” Alex said, kissing Jack’s cheek.   
“We can continue this later but I’m still starving,” Jack said, trying to fix his hair.   
“You’re always starving,” Alex teased.   
Jack pouted in mock hurt as Alex got off the bed.   
“I’m going to the bathroom, I’ll catch you up.”   
Jack nodded and watched as Alex disappeared down the hall.   
Alex stood in front of the mirror and blew his nose but it didn’t really help with the stuffed up feeling. He gave a weak cough into his fist and looked at his reflection, he didn’t look sick, a bit tired maybe but not unwell. Alex was hoping it was just a small cold; he had some medicine in his bag and was hoping to just drug himself up enough that no one would notice. He had tried really hard not to get sick, it was Jack’s family weekend and he wanted to be able to enjoy it and not have Jack worry about him. After he finished doing his business Alex went downstairs to where Jack and both his parents were waiting for him.   
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Alex said, taking his seat beside Jack.   
“Can we eat now?” Jack asked, staring at the plate of pasta in front of him.   
“For goodness sake Jack, you are terrible but yes you can.”   
Jack dug in, getting tomato sauce all over himself. Alex laughed and cleaned him up with a napkin.   
Despite not feeling very hungry Alex ate, Jack was right his mum really did make the best spaghetti he’d ever tasted.   
“How’s life with Jack?” Mr Barakat asked Alex.   
“Good, most of the time. I’ve known anyone so messy or such a terrible cook,” Alex said.   
“Hey! I made you pizza rolls the other day,” Jack protested.   
“Not burning and cooking are two very different things,” Alex started.   
“Picky bugger,” Jack muttered.   
“Language at the table Jack,” his mum said.   
“I’m not thirteen mum!”   
“Then stop acting like it.”   
Alex laughed but it soon turned to a cough. Jack patted Alex’s back as he coughed into his hands.   
“You okay Alex?” he asked.   
“Fine, fine, just went down the wrong way,” Alex said, taking a sip of his drink to try and calm his breathing.   
Jack eyed him questionably but Alex gave him his most reassuring smile and Jack didn’t say anymore.   
After dinner they all moved into the living room for a movie. Jack and his mum had a small debate about what to watch which ended in Back to the Future, a sci-fi classic as Jack called it. Alex sat curled up with Jack one of the couches. He was having trouble staying awake and the familiar scenes were making it hard to keep his eyes open. Jack noticed his boyfriend fighting to stay awake and tightened his grip around his waist, kissing the back of his neck.   
“You want to go to bed love?”   
“Good here,” Alex replied.   
Jack smiled and entwined his fingers with Alex’s, typical of him not go to bed just because Jack wasn’t. Alex had such a huge heart and always put everyone else first, it was one of the reasons Jack loved him so god damn much.   
By the end of the movie Alex was snoring next to Jack, curled up tightly in his boyfriends arms with his mouth slightly open.   
“Aw, aren’t you two cute,” Joyce commented.   
“Thanks mum...” Jack replied.   
He slipped out from behind Alex as not wake him before putting his arms around the boy and picking him up. Jack’s parents wished him goodnight before he carried Alex up the stairs to his room. Alex didn’t wake even as Jack stripped him of his jeans, leaving him in only his t shirt and boxers. Jack returned from brushing his teeth to find Alex curled up under the blankets, still snoring. Jack chuckled to himself as he moved Alex over from his side of the bed and climbed in beside him.   
“Night Alex,” he whispered, kissing the boy’s forehead. 

Alex woke in the middle of the night, hot, sweaty and like an elephant was sitting on his chest. Removing himself from Jack’s arms he snuck across the hall to the bathroom, there he let out the coughs he’d been holding on to. The action nearly made him double over as he tried to hit his head on the sink. When he finished he took a sip of water to try calm his body down, looking in the mirror Alex could see the sweat forming on his skin and putting a hand to his forehead he could feel the heat. Fuck, why could he never just get a cold? When Jack was sick he was sniffy for a few days and that was it, Alex always ended up with a fever and staying in bed for a few days. Deciding the best thing to do was to go back to bed and try and sleep it off, Alex refilled his water and coughed again, luckily not as hard but still bad enough to make his eyes water. He stepped out of the bathroom only to walk straight into Joyce.   
“Oh, I’m sorry.”   
“Are you okay Alex?” she asked.   
He couldn’t help but wonder if she’d heard him, he was making an awful noise.   
“Fine.” he gave her his best reassuring smile, the one that always worked on Jack.   
“Well night Alex,” she said.   
“Night.”   
He went quickly back to their room where Jack was still sleeping, exactly where he’d left him. Feeling a shiver go down his back Alex climbed back into his spot next to Jack, glad to have his boyfriend arms around him again. Luckily Jack was too out of it to notice the heat of Alex’s skin against his own.   
When Alex woke up again he was alone, Jack had gotten up leaving him alone in the massive bed. Alex rolled onto his back and tried to take account for his illness, his head hurt, the light was making his eyes sting, the heaviness in his chest hadn’t gone and his nose felt even stuffier than before. The heat he’d felt the night before had been replaced by a cold feeling that made him shiver. He sat up and moved off the bed, digging through his suitcase for the medicine he knew he’d packed. Alex had the ability to always know when he was getting sick and prepare accordingly, he’d packed a bottle of Dayquil, tissues and his favourite sore throat sweets. Alex took his assorted medicines into the bathroom, unfortunately not only did he feel worse but he looked it too. Dark circles had appeared beneath his eyes and his whole completion looked pale. Alex just coughed and downed his medicine and threw on one of Jack’s hoodies as he tried to hide the goose bumps covering his arms. After fixing his messy hair and stuffing a far amount of tissues into his pockets Alex finally went downstairs to find Jack.   
“Typical, you always turn up just as I make coffee.”   
Jack smiled as Alex entered the kitchen.   
“Hello to you too,” he replied.   
Jack put a hot mug in Alex’s hand and went to kiss his cheek but he moved. Jack pouted but Alex acted like he hadn’t noticed, taking a seat at the counter beside Jack’s mum.   
“Morning Alex, how’re you?”   
“I’m fine, yourself?” he asked.   
“Oh I’m well thanks,” she smiled. “I’d drink that up if I were you, before Jack has a chance to steal it back.”   
Alex looked at the coffee in his hands; as much as he wanted it he knew it would do nothing to help the scratchy feeling in his throat.   
“I think I’m okay,” Alex said, pushing the mug away.   
“You sure ‘Lex? You’re always ready for coffee,” Jack said, wrapping his arms around Alex’s shoulders.   
“Yeah, yeah I don’t need coffee when I’ve got you,” Alex said, reaching up to kiss Jack’s cheek.   
“You big softy,” Jack teased.   
Alex knew all too well how to flatter Jack, it got him out of some awkward questions on many occasions. Alex saw Joyce give him a concern look out of the corner of his eye and he turned to address Jack.   
“What are we doing today?” he asked.   
“Well there’s a game on so I thought we’d go,” Jack said.   
He was of course talking about the Ravens, both the boys loved football and tried to get to every match they could.   
“Are we and your farther allowed to come? Or this is it date?”   
“Mum!”   
Everyone laughed and Alex managed to muffle a cough into his arm without anyone noticing.   
“Course you’re coming, isn’t that the reason we’re here?” Jack said.   
“Well I’ll sort out some lunch for us, why don’t you two get ready?” she offered.   
“Okay, I’m going for a shower, you should eat something ‘Lex,” Jack said, looking at the plate of untouched toast in front of Alex.   
“I’ll catch you up..”   
Jack managed to place a kiss to the side of Alex’s head and Alex hoped he hadn’t noticed the heat of his skin.   
“Jack’s right, you should eat something,” Joyce said.   
“I’m not very hungry,” Alex said, it wasn’t that he felt sick but the whole of idea of food seemed unpleasing.   
“You are alright Alex?” she asked, eyeing him carefully.   
“Fine,” he replied, getting up from the table to follow Jack, taking a piece of toast with him for good measure. He hoped Jack’s mum would let it go, he’d be fine. The medicine was doing its job and his head didn’t hurt as much though he still felt like coughing and had to duck into Jack’s sister’s old room to have a full blown sneezing fit. He still had a tissue pressed to his running nose when he entered Jack’s room but luckily Jack himself was still in the shower. Alex sat himself down on the edge of the bed, not having the energy to get up and get dressed. He didn’t know how he was going to get through the whole day when he’d barely been awake an hour and his eye lids felt heavy. He’d only been sat there for a few minutes when he felt a pair of arms wrapped around his waist.   
“What’re dong ‘Lex?” Jack asked.   
“Nothing,” he mumbled.   
“Want to get dressed?   
“Can’t we just stay here?” Alex mumbled, resting his head against Jack’s bare chest.   
“Don’t you want to go out? Are you feeling okay?” Jack asked.   
“Just tired,” Alex replied.   
Jack frowned and took a good look at Alex, the paleness of his skin, the slight reddening of his nose and the preparation on his hair line. Then there was the small cough he tried to muffle into his sleeve. Before Alex could move his tired body out of the way Jack put the back of his hand to Alex’s forehead.   
“I’ll tell mum we’re staying here, I’ll get you some medicine and you can sleep.”   
“Jack, no...”   
Alex didn’t get to finish before Jack was grabbing a shirt and running down the stairs. Alex tried to go stop him but had to stop half way down the stairs to cough into his elbow. Once he’d made it down to the kitchen Jack was talking to his mum, a concerned look on both their faces.   
“Alex, are you feeling okay honey?” she asked.   
“I’m fine.”   
She stepped toward him and put her cool hand to his forehead, Alex didn’t even try to avoid it. He knew there was no hiding the heat that ran through his body despite the goose bumps covering his arms.   
“Oh sweetheart, you’re burning up. Go sit down and let me find you some medicine.”   
“Mrs Barakat, its okay re...” he was cut off coughing, he felt Jack’s hand on his back rubbing in circles until he was able to breathe again.   
Jack led him over to the couch, he’d been very quiet and Alex couldn’t help wondering whether he was mad at him. He’d tried not to ruin the weekend, he really had but as usual his useless excuse of an immune system had let him down. Alex sat shivering on the couch until Jack put a blanket around his shoulders, Alex smiled weakly but Jack gave no reply.   
“Here you are Alex, something to help you feel better.”   
“Thank you.”   
He drank the various shots of medicine he was given and even a few sips of water, Mrs Barakat placed a box of tissues nearby before leaving the boys alone.   
“Jack?”   
Jack just raised his head to look at him.   
“Are you mad at me?” Alex asked, his voice cracking and hoarse.   
Jack sighed and shuffled closer to Alex, so he was able to take Alex’s warm hand in his.   
“No ‘Lex, I’m not mad at you. I just wish... I just wish you’d tell me these things, why can’t you ever say that you’re feeling sick? You’re burning with a fever and you can’t tell me.”   
The sadness in Jack’s voice sends a shiver through Alex’s core.   
“I didn’t want to ruin your weekend,” Alex mumbled, pressing his face to Jack’s shoulder.   
He felt Jack’s arms wrap tightly around his waist, tugging him so he was sitting in Jack’s lap.   
“Alex, you’re not ruining anything. I just want to make sure you’re okay, I love you.”   
“I love you too,” Alex replied, looking up at Jack with his reddened eyes and seeing Jack smile.   
“Go to sleep sweetie.”   
Alex closed his eyes and was soon snoring in Jack’s arms, the place he felt safest in the world. 

When the Jack woke, cramped and tangled on the couch the smell of chicken soup filling the air. Alex was cuddled up almost on top of Jack, his arms wrapped tightly around his boyfriend waist. Why Jack’s hand ran through Alex’s messed up hair and over his overheated skin.   
“How’re you feeling?” Jack asked as he watched Alex’s eyes blink open to meet his.   
“Like I got run over by a truck... Multiple times,” Alex mumbled.   
“Poor baby.”   
Jack kissed his forehead, his fever didn’t feel like he had gone down at all and his coughing had woken him a total of three times during the past three hours.   
“Are you hungry? ‘Cause I think mum’s been cooking.”   
“Not really,” Alex admitted.   
“You need to eat something ‘Lex, I don’t want a repeat of the death flu.”   
Alex had come down with a horrible case of flu a few months prior; he hadn’t eaten a thing for five days and put himself in hospital after passing out.   
“Okay, you win.”   
Jack smiled and helped Alex up. They both stumbled into the kitchen, Jack supporting most of Alex’s weight as he was shivery and weak.   
“Goodness Alex, you look awful,” Mrs Barakat exclaimed.   
“He feels pretty awful too,” Jack said, placing Alex down in one of the chairs at the kitchen table.   
“Oh sweetheart...”   
She frowned as Alex coughed, a sweater covered hand covering his mouth as he coughed. Jack quickly got him a glass of water and helped Alex take small sips, to help him regain control over his breathing.   
“Here you go Alex, homemade chicken soup, the perfect remedy for the flu.”   
She placed a bowl in front of Alex and one for Jack for good measure. Jack’s mum had always been an amazing cook, recipes passed down through the family from a far away country. Alex picked up his spoon and blow lightly, he wished he could smell it but his nose was totally stuffed, he just hoped it would help. Despite how stuffed up he was Alex was still able to taste the warmth and spiciness of the soup, it was a comforting feeling that went right down to his chest.   
“Okay Alex?” Jack asked.   
Alex nodded and took another mouthful. Jack smiled, glad to see Alex looking a little better. Jack was grateful to his mum for always knowing what to do, he’d called her many times when Alex was sick and he hadn’t known what to do. She was always calm and had the answers to make everything okay.   
When the soup was finished Alex was having trouble keeping his eyes open, his head nearly hitting the table before he caught himself. Jack picked him up, his arms under Alex’s legs as he carried him through to the living room again. Jack placed him on the couch, wrapping the blanket around his shoulders.   
“Do you need some more medicine?”   
Alex thought about the thumping in his head and the achiness of his muscles. He nodded and watched as Jack poured out more of the strange coloured liquid. Alex drank them, his face scrunching up at the sour taste.   
“You’re adorable, do you want a movie?”   
Jack knew that Alex loved to watch movies when he was ill, he’d nearly always find the boy curled up in their bed with an old Star Wars movie on.   
“Harry Potter please.”   
Jack chuckled and went to put on the requested DVD, he choice the Goblet Of Fire, one of Alex’s personal favourites.   
With medicine drunk and movie on there was only one thing left to do. Jack climbed back onto his spot on the couch, Alex cuddling up to Jack so his head was in the boy’s lap. The medicine hadn’t felt Alex’s feeling of drowsiness and was struggling to stay awake for the opening titles. But before he could sleep Alex felt a huge pang of love for his second family.   
“Thank you, for taking care of me,” Alex mumbled, his face pressed to Jack’s hip.   
“Always, but in future could you tell me when you don’t feel well?”   
“Okay if you make me soup.”   
Jack laughed and leant down to kiss Alex’s forehead.   
“I love you.”   
“Love you too Jacky.”   
And he really, really did. Alex felt at home with Jack and his family, they were all home to him and hoped they always would be.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys,   
> Sorry this one took awhile, I've rewritten this so many times! I hope you like it :)  
> Thanks for reading :) xx


End file.
